For the first time, Wagner College appears on Kiplinger’s list of the top 100 best values in private universities. The 2010-11 list is published in the December issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.
Wagner was one of seven institutions in New York City to make this year’s list. The others were Columbia University, Yeshiva University, the Pratt Institute, Manhattan College, New York University and Fordham University.
Jane Bennett Clark, senior associate editor at Kiplinger, explained the methodology behind the Top 100 Best Values list this way:
“Ever met parents who dream of sending their child to a mediocre college just because it’s cheap? Neither have we. To determine our best values, we start with indicators of high quality, such as small class size, a high-achieving incoming class, a satisfied clientele (measured by how many students return after freshman year) and graduation rates that reflect the school’s ability to deliver its education — and a degree — within four or five years.
“Once we’ve assembled our ‘A’ team, we reshuffle the lineup based on affordability, including the average amount of financial aid each college bestows, the extent to which students have to borrow and the cost for families who pay full price,” Clark wrote.